ESPN analyst names Guardians 'real' MVP as trio of relievers, not Parker Messick

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The Cleveland Guardians are 47-45 in the regular season, and just 1.0 game back of the Chicago White Sox for the AL Central lead.

While this season hasn't exactly gone to plan, especially on offense, the pitching staff has been incredible. Parker Messick is a legitimate Cy Young candidate this season, and ESPN analyst Bradford Doolittle named Messick the "First-half MVP" this season.

However, in the same breath as calling Messick the team MVP, Doolittle also identified three relievers - Cade Smith, Colin Holderman, and Erick Sabrowski - as the "real" MVP.

Guardians 'real' MVP is not Parker Messick, but three relievers

"First-half MVP: Parker Messick (126 AXE). Messick has been fantastic," Doolittle writes. "... Still, the real MVP in Cleveland has been the high-leverage contingent of its bullpen, led by Cade Smith, Colin Holderman, and Erik Sabrowski."

Messick has been great this season, posting a 2.80 ERA with a 7-5 record and 3.2 bWAR this season across 18 starts with 109 strikeouts in 106 innings pitched.

Going by bWAR, there's not another player on the roster who can compare. He has 3.2 bWAR, and the next-closest player is Jose Ramirez at 2.5, and not far behind him, Bryan Rocchio, at 2.3 bWAR.

While Messick has been great, and Doolittle called him their "First-half MVP," he believes the Guardians 'real" MVP so far this season has been the reliever trio.

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This season, the Guardians' closer, Smith, has a 2.90 ERA with 57 strikeouts and 26 saves with three blown and 0.8 bWAR in 40.1 innings.

Holderman has a 1.95 ERA with 38 strikeouts, no saves, and 1.1 bWAR in 32.1 innings. Sabrowski has a 3.33 ERA and 48 strikeouts with no saves in and 0.5 bWAR 27 innings.

While Doolittle named the Guardians "real" MVP as this reliever trio, adding their bWAR totals together, they only come out to 2.4 bWAR. Messick alone is worth 3.2 bWAR.

So, while Doolittle calls this reliever trio the "real" MVP of the Guardians, Messick should really be the sole MVP, without any mention of this reliever trio, as he's been the best player on the Guardians by a wide margin this season.